Do you ever have one of those days where you wish you could coast through the day? You’re not alone
Forget the sneering attitude towards the quiet quitters ― and tune out the little person in your head telling you to climb the ladder as fast as you can. Why? Because it appears that sometimes, coasting at work has its benefits.
A number of recent studies have pointed out that expecting yourself (or your employees) to be ‘on’ every second of the week, or expecting yourself to always be a couple steps ahead of schedule, is a recipe for disaster: either you’ll be burned out or eventually something will slip through the cracks.
Enter the not-so-new concept of coasting. These days, most people think of coasting as a negative, but this is a relatively modern affectation. “The way we look at coasting has radically changed,” writes Andre Spicer. “In the past, being relaxed and not burdened with too much work was a sign of status. Now, being extremely busy shows you are important. If you are not insanely overburdened, then you are seen as a slacker.”
And that, according to a number of experts, needs to change. Instead of looking at coasting as a negative behaviour, we should think of it as taking a breather, or surfacing for air once and a while.
Coasting has its advantages. Provided you’re not actively letting things slide, hitting your minimums with a corresponding level of effort can help preserve a sense of wellbeing. People who perceive themselves to be ‘working hard’ have been shown in studies to both feel worse and perform worse at their jobs.
How then, to coast effectively? Have a purpose, writes Rachel Feintzeig. “Start by reminding yourself what you’re prioritizing instead of climbing the ladder. Maybe you’re choosing stability or your family or health. Focus on what you’re adding, not giving up.”
Other tips? Be transparent with your supervisors about why you want to take things a bit easier for a while. You can also follow a less-is-more approach, trying to chime in with more insightful ideas than being the one to maximize output. (“Don’t have a big win to announce at a meeting? Focus on asking insightful follow-up questions instead,” Feintzeig suggests.)
What you might realize is that coasting every now and again is an important part of effectively playing the long game. “People want such immediate gratification,” one operating partner at a private capital firm told the Wall Street Journal. “You end up realizing your career is long and you have plenty of time.”
Content written by Kieran Delamont for Worklife, a partnership between Ahria Consulting and London Inc. To view this content in newsletter form, click here.